Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 November 1874 — Solomon in Modern Life. [ARTICLE]

Solomon in Modern Life.

> Sometimes a good rule does not work* Two women came before Aiderman Dobbs, in our village, the other day, to settle a dispute about a child. Mrs. Murphy claimed the boy as hers, while Mrs. Doolan insisted that it was hers. As the Aiderman could not obtain any decisive evidence bearing upon the case, it occurred to him to try the plan once used in a similar-case by Solomon. He sent out to the kitchen and got a carv-ing-knife, and then, placing the bov on the desk, he said to the women, while he sharpened his knife on his boot, “ I’m a

goin’ to cut this yer youngster in half and let Mrs. Murphy take the body, w T hile Mrs. Doolan can go home with the legs.” It was a clever idea, but it failed. Mrs. Murphy stepped up to him, and doubling up a fist that looked like an under-done leg of mutton, she shook it close to his nose and said, “Es ye do, ye sphalpeen, oi’ll murther ye with me own hand;” and Mrs. Doolan seized him by the hair, threw him to the ground, and exclaimed, while she brandished the knife over his prostrate body, “ Gimme the legs! Berne sowl, oi’ve a mind to kill ye and ate ye!” Then ’Squire Dobbs adjourned the case, and while Mrs. Doolan retired with the boy he went out to hunt up a Bible commentary,in order to ascert Ti if there was not something about Solomon’s pro. ceedings that he didn’t understand.— Afar Adder, in Danbury News.